In the intricate dance between technology and society, one digital player is emerging as an unsung hero of crime prevention – generative AI. As our world becomes more interconnected and data-rich, the technological advancement of artificial intelligence is stepping into the spotlight, reshaping the landscape of law enforcement, and bringing to the fore an unprecedented edge to their operations.
Generative AI advances crime prevention, representing AI's evolution towards proactive strategies, promising impactful applications wherever it is used. It provides law enforcement with a potent weapon in their arsenal as they look to stop adversaries who are increasingly looking to evolve their practices.
And so, ensuring police forces are equipped with the latest digital tools to rise to the challenge of crime is something Altia, which specialises in generative AI investigative software, aims to deliver.
Making sense of the data
Generative AI is streamlining operations in the policing space, particularly in its ability to organise, manage, and process rich data sets. Historically, law enforcement agencies have grappled with the laborious and time-consuming task of transcribing interviews, as well as analysing vast amounts of data manually. But the advent of generative AI turns this on its head.
Where transcribing interviews once involved outsourcing to external companies, which incurred significant costs and countless hours, this can now be done in house. Transcribing interviews in real-time, generative AI can enable rapid extraction of crucial information and key insights which are vital to any case.
Meanwhile, facilitating entity matching, users can swiftly identify individuals, locations, and any other pertinent details from vast datasets. The end result is a supercharged case management space, where access to accurate and relevant information can make a crucial difference in solving crimes and prevent future incidents. But it’s ability to organise goes well beyond case-related information.
Identifying the risks
The technology is being increasingly used as a safeguard during major national events. For example, Altia’s generative AI software, CLIO, was employed during King Charles’ coronation, as well as supporting law enforcement during Queen Elizabeth II’s funeral. At the upcoming Euro’s tournament this summer, generative AI technology will likely be utilised too.
The power it holds is that it enables police forces to map out potential threats, whether it be an act of terrorism or cyberattack, and determine the actions which would need to be carried out to ensure the most efficient and successful response. Generative AI helps to identify the risks and puts in place a plan which will inform officers as a situation arises of the actions they need to take and who they need to communicate with.
Should the unthinkable happen, officers on the ground and behind the scenes are equipped with procedures which need to be implemented, as well as having real-time information at the touch of a button, allowing them to bring calm to what could be a drastically chaotic situation.
Refining with transparency
Additionally, it provides an extra level of transparency that was never available before. Recording decisions that were made during incidents and the way the situation developed provides an audit log which can be reviewed and digested after.
As a result, decisions can be justified, they can be explained, and they can be reviewed for the impact they made, allowing police forces to refine their approaches to difficult situations, using in-depth knowledge of what worked, and what didn’t. During public inquiries, it can provide comprehensive reasoning behind a decision, allowing police forces to show that choices were made in good faith and based on the best information possible.
The future unveiled
The use of generative AI promises a safer and more secure future. It's not merely about predicting what may happen; it's about using data to reshape our knowledge; it’s about allowing law enforcement to justify their approaches; and crucially, it’s about empowering users with the information they need to do their job in protecting the public. The journey of generative AI has just begun, and the possibilities are as boundless as the digital frontier itself.
At Altia, our ambition is to pioneer this journey, empowering law enforcement agencies with cutting-edge generative AI software to bolster public safety and improve operational efficiency in combating crime.
Rob Sinclair
Rob Sinclair is CEO of Altia, a Nottingham-based software business which creates intelligence and investigation software for law enforcement agencies, government departments and private sector businesses. Altia has been a specialist in this area for almost three decades, with offices also based in Glasgow and Reading.
